Technology 101: skills for teachers
Shelly Fryer does a great of giving educators plenty of tools and tricks to use in their classroom when trying to integrate technology. I think the most important thing when using technology in your classroom is using it effectively and for the right reasons. This is one thing that scares me about using technology in my own classroom someday. I want the students to really benefit from using it, and I think Shelly Fryer's Technology 101: Skills for Teachers really provides you with ways for which to help with this.
She talks about the fact that teachers need to learn to vocabulary terms associated with iPads and apps. I thought this was a great point and something we often forget about. We as the teacher need to be educated with the technology we are asking our students to use. I can't tell you how many times throughout my own education I have been asked to complete a project and have had to first learn how to navigate the program or app we are using. Especially, when working with elementary students demotrating and working through things will be essential.
Shelly Fryer also talks about how the apps students use should be to "show what they know." I think that is what technology in the classroom should be for. Providing other ways for your students to display their work, so that not only you and their parents have the pleasure of watching or listening something they worked so hard to put together.
One of my favorite apps that Shelly talked about was Book Creator. This app allows students to create their very own book. They are able to add pictures and narration and even music if they feel like it. This is a great way to get students thinking creatively. It helps them work through all the different cirriculum surrounding narration such as, plot, character development, etc. but in a fun and individual way.
She talks about the fact that teachers need to learn to vocabulary terms associated with iPads and apps. I thought this was a great point and something we often forget about. We as the teacher need to be educated with the technology we are asking our students to use. I can't tell you how many times throughout my own education I have been asked to complete a project and have had to first learn how to navigate the program or app we are using. Especially, when working with elementary students demotrating and working through things will be essential.
Shelly Fryer also talks about how the apps students use should be to "show what they know." I think that is what technology in the classroom should be for. Providing other ways for your students to display their work, so that not only you and their parents have the pleasure of watching or listening something they worked so hard to put together.
One of my favorite apps that Shelly talked about was Book Creator. This app allows students to create their very own book. They are able to add pictures and narration and even music if they feel like it. This is a great way to get students thinking creatively. It helps them work through all the different cirriculum surrounding narration such as, plot, character development, etc. but in a fun and individual way.
I also liked the idea of incoporating an Opinion Podcast into my classroom some day. This app is the worlds only easy to use podcast maker. You are able to record, edit and publish your podcast all for free. This would allow students to create their very own podcast and upload it to an assignment page. This makes the learning more fun and interesting for your students. I also like how it gets those students who dont normally talk in class or feel uncomfortable talking in front of big groups the ability to share what they think and have to say about a topic.
The last app that I really thought would be cool to incorporate into my classroom is Shadow Puppet Edu. This app allows students to easily create videos in the classroom. The thing I love about this app is that is user friendly and can be used with even students as young as Kindergarten. The students can use this app to tell their own stories, explain ideas or document their learning whatever their teacher or the student desires. I think this is also a great tool to use for those students who have trouble writing and could really use another way to document what they are learning and I love that it is condusive to all ages.
Shelly Fryer does a great job in this blog post and many of her other blog posts in providing educators with the tools they will need to suceed when integrating technology into their classroom. Teachers who are unsure about how to use the technology they have been provided with effectively should follow Shelly and continue to look at her blog and the things she posts. I know I will.